Month: October 2008

IRAN TO START GAS EXPORTS TO ARMENIA BY OCT. 13

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2008 13:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iran will start gas exports to Armenia by October
13, the director of the gas export operation office of the National
Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said here on Sunday.

"Armenia also started electricity export to Iran on Sunday," Rasoul
Salmani added, IRINN reported.

"Iran plans to annually export some 1.1 billion cubic meters of gas
to Armenia. In the first phase Iran will export less volume to Armenia
but will increase the export volume gradually, and in 2019 will raise
it to 2.3 billion cubic meters" he explained.

"In return Iran will annually import 3.3 billion kw/h of electricity
from Armenia," Rasuli stated.

The 100km Iranian section runs from Tabriz to the Iran-Armenia
border. The Armenian section runs from Meghri region to Sardarian.

Iran is expected to supply all of Armenia’s gas needs within the next
two years. The total outlay for the pipeline is about $28.2 million.

GEORGIA’S JOINING NATO CAN PROVOKE NEW WAR?

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2008 13:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The future of the Caucasus depends on the countries’
willingness to maintain friendly ties, according to a Russian expert.

"Moreover, they should stop building their national policy dependently
from the powers beyond the region. The August conflict demonstrated
that Washington’s power is not universal. With Russia mediating for
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution and with Turkey alleviating
tensions between Georgia and Russia, the Caucasus states will be able
to implement their economic and political strategic for the glory of
the region," senior lecturer at Saint-Petersburg State University,
deputy editor at the Center of Oriental Studies, Ph.D. in history
Alexander Sotnichenko said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.

"However, if some of the countries orient for the West, like Georgia
does, new conflicts are possible. Deployment of NATO troops in Georgia
will aggravate tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Escalation will
involve Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Georgia may provoke
a new war in an attempt to take back Abkhazia and Ossetia with the
help of the U.S. forces," he said.

ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT: ARMENIAN DRAM MOST STABLE CURRENCY IN REGION

ARKA
Oct 6, 2008

YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. Armenian Dram has become the most stable
currency in the region in recent years, Advisor to President of
Armenia on Economic Issues Vahram Nersisyants said at the opening
of the second Armenian Technology Congress (ArmTech). Inflation has
reached its minimum in Armenia in recent years, he said.

Nersisyants also stressed stable economic growth in the country that
has ranged within 12% since 2001.

Last year a 13.8% economic growth was recorded in the country. Economic
growth constituted 10.3% by August; hence, a two-digit economic growth
is expected to be recorded also for the year 2008, Nersisyants said.

The Advisor welcomed attraction of investments in Armenia that will
allow making the management system transparent and equal for everybody,
raising the efficiency and developing the economy.

DATABASE OF PERSONAL DATA OF CITIZENS ABOVE 18 TO BE INTRODUCED IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Oct 6, 2008

YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. An information database of personal data
of citizens above 18 is to be introduced in Armenia, the country’s
Premier Tigran Sargsyan said at the opening of the second Armenian
Technology Congress (ArmTech).

In the scope of the pension reform, a personal account is to be set
for each citizen and IT solutions will be applied to enable everyone
maintaining direct control over his account, keeping track of financial
flows and income expected in his lifetime, the Premier said stressing
the importance of teaching people how to use modern technologies.

Currently there are 550,000 pensioners in the country and as from
2010 every citizen above 18 will be obliged to have an accumulation
account and use this service, Sargsyan said adding that this will
make the number of clients in IT sector go up.

In 2010, Armenian Ministry of Labor and Social Issues is to turn
to non-cash system of payment of pensions and benefits. Transfer to
accumulative pension scheme is expected to take place already in 2009.

According to RA Statistical Service, a total of 516,292 retired
persons were recorded in Armenia in the first half of 2008.-0–

PREMIER: ADVANCED POSTAL SERVICES TO BE INTRODUCED IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Oct 6, 2008

YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. New advanced postal services are to be
introduced in Armenia, the country’s Premier Tigran Sargsyan said at
the opening of the second Armenian Technology Congress (ArmTech).

These services will be accessible in every village of the country,
he said.

He pointed importance to introduction of the new services in changing
public attitudes.

The program is implemented together with the private sector. It
will give an impetus to development of information technologies in
the country and will bring to an abrupt rise in number of entities
involved in IT sector, Sargsyan said.

TOPCAREERS’08 EXHIBITION TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON OCTOBER 31

ARKA
Oct 6, 2008

YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. The fourth TopCareers’08 exhibition is
to be held in Yerevan on October 31, American Graduates Association
of Armenia reported.

The aim of the exhibition is to make Armenian employees meet with
over 2,500 specialists, middle-level managers, as well as graduates
from American, European and Armenian universities seeking jobs,
says the release.

In the scope of the exhibition, seminars are to be held to train
potential employees for interview and resume preparation.

The first TopCareers’07 exhibition was organized by American Graduates
Association of Armenia on April 26 2007 together with the U.S. Embassy
to Armenia and IREX. The second exhibition was held on October 26
2007 and the third one took place on May 2 this year.

Every time over 2,000 visitors attend the TopCareers exhibition,
including students and graduates of American, European and Armenian
universities.

Representatives of 45 employers introduced the vacancies within their
organizations.

PROCEDURE FOR CROSSING ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN BORDER BY RAILWAY TO BE SIMPLIFIED

ARKA
Oct 6, 2008

YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. The procedure for crossing
Armenian-Georgian border by railway is to be simplified, Armenian
Minister of Transport and Communication Gurgen Sargsyan said.

The Minister said that currently customs examinations of
Yerevan-Tbilisi passenger trip last 2.5-3 hours and are made during
stops, which creates inconvenience for passengers.

An agreement has been made to discuss whether it is possible to make
examinations in trains while traveling, the Minister said. This
additional discussion is to be held between customs and railroad
officers in the near future.

FORMATION OF "ARMENIAN WORLD" TO HELP INCREASE IT POTENTIAL OF ARMENIA BY TEN TIMES

ARKA
Oct 6, 2008

YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. Formation of "Armenian world" will
allow increasing IT potential of Armenia by ten times and may
become Armenia’s advantage as compared with competitor-countries,
the country’s Premier Tigran Sargsyan said at the opening of the
second Armenian Technology Congress (ArmTech).

Information technologies have become a field of cooperation for all
Armenians, and the first ArmTech held in California in 2007 gave a
serious impetus to development of IT sector and raising specialists’
and investors’ interest in Armenia, the Premier said.

Earlier Sargsyan said that only "Armenian world" uniting Armenia,
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and Armenian communities abroad can be a
global competition entity in the modern world.

The second Armenian Technology Congress ArmTech opened in Yerevan
Saturday.

About 250 representatives of IT sectors from the USA, Russia, France
and other European countries, Middle Asia and South America participate
in the congress.

YEREVAN-BATUMI TRANSPORT CORRIDOR MAY BE COMMISSIONED IN TWO YEARS

ARKA
Oct 6, 2008

YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. Yerevan-Batumi transport corridor may be
commissioned in two years is works are launched now, Armenian Minister
of Transport Gurgen Sargsyan told journalists.

The road will reduce the current length (about 700 kilometers) of the
route connecting Yerevan with Black Sea by about 30%, the Minister
said. If today it takes 10-12 hours to drive from Yerevan to Batumi,
the new road will reduce the time down to 5-6 hours, the Minister said
adding that the agreement about construction of the new motor road was
reached during Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Tbilisi.

Among the important issues discussed during the visit was creation of
Barumi-Akhaltskha-Akhalkalaki-Giumry-Yerevan project that is a part
of North-South corridor, the Minister said. Currently, this road,
though existing, is very heavy and even impassable in winter time,
especially for motor cars.

The Minister pointed out that 170-kilometer-long Akhaltskha-Batumi
section of the road goes through two mountain passes (over 2,000 meters
above sea level), and construction of a tunnel system may be needed.

Yet, according to the Minister, construction of the road is beneficial
both in terms of freight traffic and passenger transportation (Batumi
is a tourism center for Armenia).

The Minister reported that the two countries’ presidents instructed
the respective agencies to d iscuss the road construction funding
procedure. A consortium option was suggested at the preliminary
discussion between the presidents, and the construction is expected
to be funded by international organizations.

Particularly, the management of the Asian Development Bank expressed
willingness to finance the project, the Minister said.

The section of the road from Yerevan to Giumry and from Giumry to
Bavra (Armenian-Georgian border) is in normal condition and is a
third-category road. During implementation of the project, the category
of this section is to be raised to the third at minimum, which implies
serious investments and reconstruction, the Minister said.

The cost of the project is to become clear after some preliminary
studies.

CZECH PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION ARRIVING IN ARMENIA TODAY

armradio.am
06.10.2008 10:21

Members of the Commission on Constitutional and Legal Issues of the
Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic headed by Vice-Speaker Jan
Kasal will arrive in Armenia on October 6.

On September 7 members of the delegation are expected to have
meetings with the Chairman of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan,
Vice-Speaker Hrayr Karapetyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee
on State and Legal Issues David Harutyunyan and members of the
Committee. At Tsitsernakaberd members of the delegation will lay a
wreath at the memorial to the Armenian Genocide victims.

On October 8 meetings with the President of the Constitutional Court
Gagik Harutyunyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan, President
of the Administrative Court Tigran Mukuchyan are expected.

On October 9 the Czech delegation will be received by the President
of the Court of Appeal Edward Muradyan.

On October 10 the delegation will be received by the First Deputy
Minister of Justice Gevorg Malkhasyan, Human Rights Defender Armen
Harutyunyan and the Deputy Prosecutor General.